Heat flap cup sleeve

ABSTRACT

A cup holder sleeve is formed in pre-assembled, flat-folded form by die cutting a long, flat band from paperboard material. The flat sleeve has fold lines scored into the band at spaced apart positions tapering toward each other, and side edges at opposite ends of the band. The opposite ends are folded flat at the fold lines so that the side edges overlap each other and are glued together at their overlapping surfaces. Within the flat sleeve are two “D” shaped flaps that when folded back 180 degrees upon the sleeve itself produce a double paperboard layer of heat protection for the fingers when placed on the cup.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a cup holder sleeve for use as aninsulator on a container of a hot beverage such as coffee, tea, hotcocoa, etc. It is inexpensive to produce and can be produced with 100%recycled fiber.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a means for protecting the user of a paper cupfrom the heat of a hot beverage. Although there are many types ofinsulating sleeves in use today, there is still a need for a sleeve thatis inexpensive to produce, stores easily, is environmentally friendly,and most importantly protects the user's hand from the hot beverage inthe container. Other sleeves do not address all four of these needs.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides beverage container holders (sleeves) which areenvironmentally friendly and which provide adequate insulation forprotection from hot beverages.

A cup holder sleeve is formed in pre-assembled, flat-folded form by diecutting a long, flat band from paperboard material so as to have aparallel top and bottom curved or wavy edge. The top and bottom edgesare parallel to each other so that a common die cutting knife may beused. This procedure eliminates the need for the use of two cuttingknives with space between the sleeves and thus uses a minimum ofpaperboard material.

The flat sleeve has fold lines scored into the band at spaced apartpositions tapering toward each other, and side edges at opposite ends ofthe band. The opposite ends are folded flat at the fold lines so thatthe side edges overlap each other and are glued together at theiroverlapping surfaces. The flat-folded form allows for compact storage.

Within the flat sleeve are two “D” shaped flaps that when folded back180 degrees upon the sleeve itself produce a double paperboard layer ofprotection for the fingers. The flat sleeve has two “D” shaped die cutsat spaced apart positions. The “D” shaped die cut areas face one anotherwith the rounded edges of the “D”. The spine of the “D” is scored whilethe rounded part of the “D” is die cut through so that it can be foldedback along the spine of the “D” and form a protective barrier for thefingers. When the “D” flaps are folded back 180 degrees, slight air gapsare formed due to the thickness of the paperboard. These air gapsfurther enhance the protective barrier formed by the “D” flaps.

The pre-assembled sleeve can be readied for use simply by squeezing onthe outside surfaces so as to bow out the flat-folded band into anannular tapered sleeve with opened top and bottom ends for inserting acup therein. The two opposing die cut flaps are folded back 180 degreesonto the sleeve after it is placed on a cup. The cup is grasped by thefingers and thumb at the folded back flaps. Folding back the flapsdoubles the thickness of the sleeve which doubles the resistance to theheat of the liquid in the cup. In a preferred embodiment, the sleeve ismade of 100% recycled paperboard material and is printed with graphics.Also, one or more spots of heat activated glue can be applied on theinside of the sleeve if extra adhesion of the sleeve to the cup isdesired. The performance of the above blank handling steps is well knownin the paper products industry and is not described further within.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIG. 1, a cup holder sleeve 20 is formed from a long, flatband made from paperboard material so as to have a parallel top 5 andbottom 6 curved or wavy edges. The top 5 and bottom 6 edges are parallelto each other so that a common die cutting knife may be used. Thisprocedure eliminates the need for the use of two cutting knives withspace between the sleeves and thus uses a minimum of paperboardmaterial, eliminating waste (good for the environment) and savingmaterial (improving the cost).

The flat sleeve has fold lines, (FIG. 1) 1 and 2 scored into the band atspaced apart positions tapering toward each other, and side edges, (FIG.1), 3 and 4 at opposite ends of the band. The opposite ends are foldedflat at the fold lines, (FIG. 1) 1 and 2, so that the side edges,(FIG. 1) 3 and 4 overlap each other, (FIG. 2) 13 and are glued togetherat their overlapping surfaces, (FIG. 2) 13. The resulting flat-foldedsleeve is thus pre-assembled and allows for compact storage.

Within the flat sleeve are two “D” shaped flaps, (FIG. 1) 7 and 8, atspaced apart positions, that when folded back 180 degrees upon thesleeve itself, (FIG. 5) 7 and 8, produce a double paperboard layer ofprotection for the fingers, (FIG. 5) 16, and thumb, (FIG. 5) 17. The “D”shaped die cut areas, (FIG. 1) 7 and 8, face one another with therounded edges of the “D”, (FIG. 1) 14 and 15. The spines of both of the“D's”, (FIG. 1) 9 and 10, are scored while the rounded part of the“D's”, (FIG. 4) 14 and 15, are die cut through so that they can befolded back along the spines of the “D's”, (FIG. 5) 9 and 10, and form adouble-layer protective barrier for the fingers, (FIG. 5) 16, and thumb,(FIG. 5) 17. When the “D” flaps are folded back 180 degrees, slight airgaps, (FIG. 5) 11 and 12, are formed due to the thickness of thepaperboard. These air gaps further enhance the protective barrier formedby the “D” flaps.

As shown in FIG. 3 the pre-assembled sleeve can be readied for usesimply by squeezing on the outside surfaces with fingers (FIG. 3) 16 andthumb 17 so as to bow out the flat-folded band into an annular taperedsleeve with opened top (FIG. 3) 18 and bottom (FIG. 3) 19 for insertinga cup (FIG. 4) 21 therein. The two opposing die cut flaps (FIG. 4) 7 and8 are then folded back 180 degrees onto the sleeve after it is placed ona cup (FIG. 4) 21. The cup (FIG. 5) 21 is grasped by the fingers (FIG.5) 16 and thumb (FIG. 5) 17 at the folded back flaps (FIG. 5) 7 and 8.

In a preferred embodiment, the sleeve is made of 100% recycledpaperboard material and is printed with graphics. Also, one or morespots of heat activated glue can be applied on the inside of the sleeveif extra adhesion of the sleeve to the cup is desired.

1. A cup holder sleeve is formed in pre-assembled, flat-folded form bydie cutting a long, flat band a.) from paperboard material so as to havea parallel top and bottom curved or wavy edge. b. The top and bottomedges are parallel to each other so that a common die cutting knife maybe used. This procedure eliminates the need for the use of two cuttingknives with space between the sleeves and thus uses a minimum ofpaperboard material. c. The flat sleeve has fold lines scored into theband at spaced apart positions tapering toward each other, and sideedges at opposite ends of the band. d. The opposite ends are folded flatat the fold lines so that the side edges overlap each other and areglued together at their overlapping surfaces.
 2. A cup holder sleeveaccording to claim 1, a. The flat sleeve has two “D” shaped die cuts atspaced apart positions. b. The spine of the “D” is scored while therounded part of the “D” is die cut through so that it can be folded back180 degrees along the spine of the “D” and form a heat protectivebarrier for the fingers. c. The “D” Shaped die cut areas face oneanother with the rounded edges of the “D”. d. Wherein within the flatsleeve are two “D” shaped flaps that when folded back 180 degrees uponthe sleeve itself produce a double paperboard layer of heat protectionfor the fingers.
 3. A cup holder sleeve according to claim 1, a. whereinthe pre-assembled sleeve can be readied for use simply by squeezing onthe outside surfaces so as to bow out the flat-folded glued sleeve intoan annular tapered sleeve with opened top and bottom ends for insertinga cup therein. b. The two opposing die cut flaps are folded back 180degrees onto the sleeve after it is placed on a cup. This doubles thethickness of the sleeve which doubles the resistance to the heat of theliquid in the cup. c. When the “D” flaps are folded back 180 degrees,slight air gaps are formed due to the thickness of the paperboard. Theseair gaps further enhance the heat protective barrier formed by the “D”flaps.
 4. A cup holder sleeve according to claim 1, wherein saidflat-folded form allows for compact storage.
 5. A cup holder sleeveaccording to claim 1, wherein one or more spots of heat activated gluecan be applied on the inside of the sleeve if extra adhesion to the cupis desired.